Bloomberg BNA, International Environtment Reporter wrote: Germany’s ambitious green energy transition is likely to dominate environmental legislative goals again in 2017, even if upcoming federal elections mean work could focus more on tying up loose ends than pursuing ambitious changes.

New Legislation Seen in 2017

This means a series of new legislative proposals in 2017, Hartmut Gaszner, a partner with the Gaszner, Groth, Siederer & Coll. law firm in Berlin, told Bloomberg BNA.Among these is a bill for nuclear waste disposal passed by both houses of Parliament Dec. 16. It assigns responsibility for dismantling nuclear facilities to plant operators but would absolve companies of their responsibility for intermediate and final nuclear waste storage if they pay half of the 38.5 billion euro ($40.69 billion) storage provisions, plus a 6.12 billion euro ($6.47 bil-lion) risk premium, into a general fund by 2022.‘‘But there’s doubt as to how these finances would be contributed and what would happen if the funds don’t suffice,’’ Gaszner said. ‘‘Were this to take place, the energy providers would have to incur the remaining liability.’’